1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing apparatuses and systems, image formation apparatuses, and recording media containing processing programs used in them. In particular, the present invention is adapted for an image processing system for image formation, in which computers and a printer are connected by a network so that the printer can be shared by users.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional image formation system that forms images on a medium such as paper by using computers and a printer which are connected by a network so that the printer can be shared by users is shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of the conventional image formation system. The conventional image formation system will be described below with reference to FIG. 6.
In FIG. 6, an image formation apparatus 1 includes a network interface 2 for communicating with an external printer server 13 via a network 11, a central processing unit (CPU) 3 for performing overall control of the image formation apparatus 1, an image memory 4 for storing image data for image formation, a printer 5 for forming images on paper, and an internal bus 10 for mutually connecting the network interface 2, the CPU 3, the image memory 4, and the printer 5 so that data are transferred.
A host computer 6 transmits job data such as operation commands to the image formation apparatus 1. The printer server 13 receives image-formation data transmitted from the host computer 6. The printer server 13 temporarily stores the received data in a data storage means (not shown), and transmits them to the image formation apparatus 1. The network 11 mutually connects the image-formation apparatus 1, the host computer 6, and the printer server 13 so that data are transferred.
A process for transmitting image-formation data generated by the host computer 6 to the image formation apparatus 1 via the printer server 13 in order to perform printing is described below.
The image-formation data generated by the host computer 6 are transmitted to the printer server 13 via the network 11 in accordance with a request from the user. The printer server 13 temporally stores the image-formation data in the internal data storage means (not shown), and holds them until the image formation apparatus 1 is enabled to perform printing.
When the image formation apparatus 1 is enabled to perform printing, the printer server 13 transfers the stored image-formation data to the image formation apparatus 1 via the network 11. The image formation apparatus 1 receives the image-formation data transmitted from the printer server 13 via the network interface 2, and interprets the image-formation data with the CPU 3 to generate image data in the image memory 4. When the image formation apparatus 1 finishes generating the image data, the printer 5 forms an image on a sheet, based on the image data generated in the image memory 4. This completes printing by the host computer 6 using the printer server 13.
The above-described, conventional image formation system has the following problems.
The printer 5 cannot be restricted in use in accordance with the type of a document to be output.
The printer server 13 cannot perform various types of printout control.
Since a program for fixed restriction of the use of the printer 5 is executed in the printer server 13, the restriction of use cannot flexibly be changed.
Since one printer server 13 is used to grasp the condition of the printer 5 when it is used, if the one printer 5 malfunctions, printout and the condition of the printer 5 cannot be grasped.